The Skrayling Tree Read Free Page A

family resemblance. I felt him shake. Then he
     took charge of his emotions. Although he had extraordinary self-control, he was terrified of something, perhaps even of himself.
     A cloud passed across the sinking sun.
    “What is he saying, Ulric?”
    “’Foorna’? I don’t know the word.” He gasped out a few more sentences, a nonsensical rationale about the fading light playing
     tricks, and pulled me rather roughly into the bracken and back through the woods until we arrived at the shore where we had
     drawn up our canoe. The wild wind was bringing in clouds from all directions, funneling towards us in a black mass. I felt
     a spot of rain on my face. The wind whipped the turning tide already beginning to cover the tiny beach.We were lucky to have returned early. Ulric almost hurled me into the canoe as we pushed off and took up our paddles, forcing
     the canoe into the darkness. But Auld Strom had grown stronger and kept forcing us back towards the shore. The wind seemed
     sentient, deliberately making our work harder, seeming to blow first from one side then another. It was unnatural. Instinctively,
     I hated it.
    What irresponsible idiots we had been! I could think of nothing but my children. The salt water splashed cold on my skin.
     My paddle struck weed, and there was a sudden stink. I looked over my shoulder. The woods seemed unaffected by the wind but
     were full of ghostly movement, shadows elongated by the setting sun and hazy air pursuing us like giants advancing through
     the trees. Were they hunting the young man who was even now running down the long slab of rock and into the water, his braided
     milky hair bouncing on his shoulders as he tried to reach us?
    With a grunt and a heavy splash Ulric gouged his paddle into the water and broke the defenses of that erratic tide. The canoe
     moved forward at last. The wind lashed our faces and bodies like a cowman’s whip, goading us back, but we persevered. Soaked
     by the spray we gained some distance. Yet still the youth waded towards us, his eyes fixed on Ulric, his hands grasping, as
     if he feared the pursuing shadows and sought our help. The waves grew wilder by the moment.
    “Father!”
The birdlike cry blended with the shrieking wind until both resonated to the same note.
    “No!” Ulric cried almost in agony as we at last broke the current’s grip on us and found deeper water. There was a high sound
     now, keening around us, and I didn’t know if it was the wind, the sea or human pursuers.
    I wished I knew what the youth wanted, but Ulric’s only thought was to get us to safety. In spite of the wind, the mist was
     thicker than it had been! The young albino was soon lost in it. We heard a few garbled words, watched white shadows gathering
     on the shore as the setting sun vanished, and then all was grey. There was a heavy smell of ozone. The keening fell away until
     the water lapping against the canoe was the loudest sound. I heard Ulric’s breath rasp as he drove the paddle into the water
     like an automaton, and I did what I could to help him. Events on the island had occurred too rapidly. I couldn’t absorb them.
     What had we seen? Who was that albino boy who looked so much like me? He could not be my missing twin. He was younger than
     I. Why was my husband so frightened? For me or for himself?
    The cold, ruthless wind continued to pursue us. I felt like taking my paddle and battering it back. Then the fog rose like
     a wall against the wind which roared and beat impotently upon this new impediment.
    Though I felt safer, I lost my bearings in that sudden fog, but Ulric had a much better sense of the compass. With the wind
     down, we were soon back at our old mooring. The tide was almost full, so it was easy to step from the canoe to the house’s
     little jetty. With some difficulty we climbed the wooden staircase to the firstdeck. I felt appallingly tired. I could not believe I was so exhausted from such relatively brief activity, but my